Matthew 7:20 NKJV Therefore by their fruits you will know them. In Matthew 7:15-21 the writer gives advice on how to recognize false prophets. He shares a simple analogy of fruit bearing trees. Each seed planted will produce a harvest. If you sow good seed, you reap a good harvest. If you sow bad seed, well you will reap a bad harvest. In verses 17-18 the writer says, …every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. I just want to make two points and I’m done:1. Be patient and pay attention. We are a generation of fast action, we want everything right now and that’s how life is set up for us. We hate waiting for anything! We are impatient; therefore our desire to let trees grow and produce fruit is slim to none. We get into relationships with people (romantic or not) and we let them take root with their perfected words and their practiced actions that have taken them far with others and we make long-term decisions based off of short-term observations. We’ve yet to learn to give them time to produce fruit. We’ve yet to learn to go to God and ask for His

direction before pouring our all into these relationships/partnerships. So we blindly jump into these things and when harvest season comes we see the fruit of their true seeds and intentions planted in our heart, mind, and spirit. We are either pleasantly reinforced learning they have good fruit or devastated that who you thought you were dealing with is someone totally different.2. Listen to what they’re showing you. “Actions speak louder than words” is a wise cliché. There are often disconnects between what people say and what they do. It doesn’t make them a bad person but it does show you the reality of the situation and gives you an opportunity to act accordingly. It is important that we listen to what is being said, watch what’s being shown, and pray to God asking for Him to reveal your next move. The issue is God shows many of us that we are dealing with fruit that is either rotten or our spirit’s are allergic to but we have this idea we can prove God wrong and continue on in what He is saying no to! All we are doing is offering a breeding ground for more hurt in the long run. If the fruit is bad, why continue to eat it? Especially if you know that somewhere out there, there is good fruit waiting on you! Don’t believe? Just watch! Wanna get to know them? Just watch. At harvest (when it’s time) you’ll see the real deal and then you’ll know exactly what to do! I pray you do what God says.